APRIL 2013 - DOCUMENTARY PREVIEW AND SUMMER GIGS!
Hi everyone, I hope you are as excited for Spring as I am. Got a lot of fun gigs coming up this summer, including dates at the always fantastic Sea Salt eatery, 331 club opening for the amazing Joe Price in May, St Paul Farmer's Market, Norm's for the bikers in June, and the infamous Weber's Deck in July. I hope to see you at one or more shows this summer!

In the meantime, here is a sneak peak at a really cool documentary that my amazingly talented brother-in-law, Corey Peet, has been working on. Thanks Corey!!

JAN 2013 - HAPPY NEW YEAR!
I want to wish you all a happy new year! I hope you are doing well and happy as can be. It will be a busy year, my wife and I are expecting baby #2 at the end of May, and I'm still working on writing new music and hoping to record a new record with Hurricane Harold Tremblay (harmonica) and with the full band, which we call the Stakes (Nick Salisbury [bass], Mikkel Beckmen [washboard], Hurricane Harold Tremblay [harmonica]). We appreciate your support and hope to see you at a show soon!

In other news, CARRIAGE HOUSE SESSIONS was sold out, but we have FINALLY got new copies made. They will be available at our shows and online at CDbaby.com

Take care! -jeff ray

NOV 2012 - THANK YOU!Happy fall/winter to everyone! We hope you had a great summer. We (Jeff Ray, Harold Tremblay, Nick Salisbury, Mikkel Beckmen, Scott Sansby, etc.) had a blast playing a lot of shows throughout the upper midwest and want to say thanks for all of the support!

We have a great fall/winter ahead of us and are busy writing new music and (hopefully) will be making true on our promise of a new record soon. In the meantime, we've sold out of CARRIAGE HOUSE SESSIONS, but you can still get some copies at CD baby: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/jeffray5

We'll be pressing more soon and will keep you updated. In the meantime, be well and hope to see you at a show soon! Take care, jeff

AUGUST 2012 - SUMMER! Jeff's gig calendar is up-to-date! Jeff will be playing at summer festivals in Minnesota and some great listening venues this summer. Don't forget the Tuesday-night stand at the Sea Salt and the occasional farmer's market! Hope to see you!

MARCH 2012 - GIGS, GIGS, GIGS Join Jeff Ray and Hurricane Harold (Harold Tremblay) at BAYPORT BBQ on April 28, 2012 for a special DEEP BLUES performance. The duo will unveil some new versions of some old favorites at the show. You can reserve your seat by emailing Chris Johnson at chris.johnson19@comcast.net DONT' WAIT TOO LONG! Limited seats are available.

Just announced! Jeff Ray and Hurricane Harold will be opening for CHRIS SMITHER at the Cedar Cultural Center on September 7, 2012. If you haven't yet discovered CHRIS SMITHER, check out this music at www.smither.com CHRIS has been featured many times in guitar player magazine as one of the best figerstyle blues and folk songwriters of the modern era. His songs have been covered by Bonnie Raitt and countless others.

Later this summer, Jeff Ray will announce work on a new album, stay tuned!

JUNE 2011 - SUMMER FESTIVALS
You can catch Jeff Ray and friends around the midwest this summer, they'll be performing at the Bayfront Blues Festival in Duluth, MN on Sunday Aug 14 (Jeff Ray & Hurricane Harold) and at the Sound Town music festival at Somerset, WI on Friday Aug 19! Check tour dates by clicking on the 'performances' tab. See you there!

FEB 2011 - INTERNATIONAL BLUES CHALLENGEJeff Ray & Hurricane Harold had an amazing time competing at the 2011 International Blues Challenge (IBC) in Memphis, TN. We were so proud to represent Minnesota at the IBC and were amazed by the support from our fans and the members of the Greater Twin Cities Blues Music Society. Unfortunately, we didn't win the competition, but we met some amazing musicians from around the country and helped spread the gospel of the north country blues to new lands.

Because of the amazing support we received, the cost of the trip was defrayed and we were able to focus on the music. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THE SUPPORT! Please continue to stay in touch with happenings in the blues music community at the following website: http://www.gtcbms.org/

Special thanks also to Trotter's Cafe in St Paul for their generous donation and for all of the people that came to our fundraisers at the Masonic Lodge in St Paul, the 331 club and Whiskey Junction in Minneapolis. We couldn't have done it without you! In the meantime, be sure to visit the VIDEO page to see a video from our competition performance at the 2011 IBC, or visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QoWtjweEQI

NOV 2010 - THANK YOU!!
Thank you everyone for a very successful CD release and fundraiser show! On Nov 6th, Jeff Ray & Harold Tremblay unveiled their new CD, CARRIAGE HOUSE SESSIONS, at the Great Hall of a former masonic lodge in St Paul to a packed house. The show helped raise about 2/3 of the funds needed for the duo to compete at the Feb 2011 International Blues Challenge (IBC) in Memphis, TN. Extra special thanks to Eliza Blue, Bob Bingham, Joe Carey, Scott Sansby, Mikkel Beckmen, and Doug Otto and the Getaways for amazing performances.

On Friday, January 14th, the duo will be hosting another fundraiser and special Minneapolis CD release show at the 331 club to help raise the remaining 1/3 of the duo's IBC trip. Save the date!

OCT 2010 - JEFF RAY & HURRICANE HAROLD RELEASE "CARRIAGE HOUSE SESSIONS"
In anticipation of their upcoming trip to Memphis, representing Minnesota at the International Blues Challenge (IBC) 2011, Jeff Ray and Hurricane Harold Tremblay have teamed up to produce a LIVE in-the-studio recording called CARRIAGE HOUSE SESSIONS. The CD will be available at a special Jeff Ray & Hurricane Harold live performance at the Greater Twin Cities Blues Music Society's hall of fame induction ceremony on Sunday October 17 (http://www.gtcbms.org/hof/hofposter10.html).

The tracks were recorded in late summer 2010 at Cooker John's carriage house studio in St Paul MN. True to the live sound, the album was recorded with both musicians sitting side by side, without overdubs. The result is a high-energy mix of originals and covers of old-time blues, played originally and with a modern slide-blues twist. Think Sonny Terry -meets- Bukka White.

The official CD release for CARRIAGE HOUSE SESSIONS will be at a fundraiser for the duo's upcoming Memphis competition on Saturday November 6 at an old masonic temple in St Paul (1190 James Ave), in the same neighborhood that the two musicians first met and jammed together. We hope you can make it to this special event!

APRIL 2010 - THE ROAD TO MEMPHIS On Sunday April 25th, Jeff Ray & Hurricane Harold won the "Road to Memphis" solo/duo competition hosted by the Greater Twin Cities Blues Music Society!

The duo will represent Minnesota at the International Blues Challenge (IBC) in Memphis, TN on Feb 1-5, 2011. Thank you to everyone for your support, especially ...the volunteers and all of the AMAZING musicians that we had the honor to share the stage with!

*this is a tax-deductible contribution to the Greater Twin Cities Blues Music Society
Proceeds will be used to pay the expenses of sending Jeff Ray & Hurricane Harold
to the International Blues Challenge 2011 in Memphis, TN

MARCH 2010 - 'BLUE MARA' UK CD REVIEW "Jeff has a warm singing voice and plays some stinging slide guitar work. These tracks - eleven originals and a fine version of Muddy Waters' "You Can't Lose What You Ain't Never Had" - are sometimes very reminiscent of Smither himself, though Jeff occasionally incorporates different styles of Blues and even the odd Indian flavour to the mix, and the Dylan comparison is certainly justifiable on a couple of songs. The overall result is impressive, with the dozen songs bearing traces of the darker side of Americana, though far bluesier than is usually encompassed by such a definition." -Norman Darwen, Blue Matters, UK

JAN 2010 - 'BLUE MARA' BELGIAN CD REVIEW "Jeff Ray's fourth album is indeed a must for anyone who has a soft spot for acoustic, semi-acoustic and resonator slide-guitar in particular... His fingerpicking and bottleneck playing style have a very high degree of perfection and precision. Leo Kottke and Bob Brozman are never far away and, without hesitation, he can get a place in the list of great sliders. This album is very blues oriented but remains open to "world" influences... "Blue Mara" is a treasure that makes it irresistible to grab your guitar.... Another great artist that we should not lose sight [of]." -witteMVS (www.rootsville.be, Belgium) [English Translation by Google Translate]

DEC 2009 - 'BLUE MARA' DULUTH CD REVIEW "No mopey re-creations; Ray’s take on the genre is fresh and original... The guitar is hyper-animated and jumps out of the mix. Ray has mastered the ability to go speedily from fretted notes to glassy slide in a nanosecond. It provides the feel of two guitar players at the same time... In his still-young recording career, Ray has covered Southern rock (ala the Allman Brothers), Memphis soul, Nick Drake-inspired songs, stirring acoustic instrumental guitar, resonator slide, and now blues from the pre-Depression era as well as the ’60s... You never know what’s coming next. Here’s to lots more stops along the Jeff Ray recording highway." -John Ziegler (Duluth News Tribune, Duluth MN)

SEPT 2009 - NEW CD 'BLUE MARA'It's finally here! Ray's 4th CD release, 'Blue Mara' takes the resonator slide-guitar to a new playground... think early 60's Chicago-blues moves to the 1920's pre-war piedmont era, throw in some appalachian rhythms and you have yourself 'Blue Mara'. Not to be overshadowed, the sounds of eastern Indian melodies pervade the recording throughout - giving 'Blue Mara' it's uncanny sense of undefinable world-influenced blues. The album was recorded at home in Jeff Ray's living room using an 8-track reel-to-reel, and at Owl Recording in Minneapolis by Paul Flynn. The live/lo-fi quality gives the album the feel of an old Chess Studios recording.

The album contains 11 original tracks and one cover song "Can't Lose What You Ain't Never Had", written by the late great Muddy Waters.

All CDs cost $10 at live shows. You can order the CD now for only $15 (includes tax and shipping) by emailing Jeff Ray at jeff@jeffraymusic.com. Payments are by check (via mail) or by paypal (via internet).

Samples of the album can be heard by clicking on the "LISTEN/BUY" tab.

FEB 2009 - IMPORTANT BOOTLEG CLUB UPDATE
Due to a recent computer crash, some email addresses were erased from Jeff Ray's mailing list. If you are/were a member of the JEFF RAY BOOTLEG CLUB (that is, if you used to get a monthly email w/free MP3 downloads and CD/merch discounts, but don't anymore) then PLEASE send your email address and/or mailing address to: subscribe@jeffraymusic.com. This way you won't be left out of the loop when the new CD is released in a few months (and you can get your CD at a discount price!).

JAN 2009 - New CD Review, Duluth News Tribune
"The clarity and precision of Ray's bottleneck playing, as it swoops and dives through his vocal lines, is so well-honed and has such an alluringly liquid quality that it puts him in a league with the best on the planet. Folks such as Ry Cooder, David Lindley and Bob Brozman have nothing on this young virtuoso. His newest record, "Last Great Winter," is a tour de force that should be required listening for anyone interested in the instrument or the style."-John Ziegler, Duluth News Tribune, Jan 1, 2009Click here to read the whole review

Recorded side-by-side, live in the studio, the CD captures the raw energy and rhythmic pulse typical of a live performance. Their unique take on old-time roots and blues music is refreshing with original songs that have an undefinable and unpredictable sound yet maintain a familiar americana roots music feel. The covers are deep cuts, from eras long forgotten, making the songs sound a bit more relevant with an old-school twist.

Ray's fourth and most ambitious release to date. Upbeat, pulsing, thumb-thumping resonator slide-guitar with a marrow of darkness, mixed from equal parts Delta blues and upbeat Appalachian rhythms. The music unexpectedly twists from dark blues, to East-Indian melodies, and back again.

"Jeff has a warm singing voice and plays some stinging slide guitar work. These tracks - eleven originals and a fine version of Muddy Waters' "You Can't Lose What You Ain't Never Had" - are sometimes very reminiscent of [Chris] Smither himself, though Jeff occasionally incorporates different styles of Blues and even the odd Indian flavour to the mix, and the Dylan comparison is certainly justifiable on a couple of songs. The overall result is impressive, with the dozen songs bearing traces of the darker side of Americana, though far bluesier than is usually encompassed by such a definition." -Norman Darwen (Blue Matters, UK)

"No mopey re-creations; Ray’s take on the genre is fresh and original... The guitar is hyper-animated and jumps out of the mix. Ray has mastered the ability to go speedily from fretted notes to glassy slide in a nanosecond. It provides the feel of two guitar players at the same time... In his still-young recording career, Ray has covered Southern rock (ala the Allman Brothers), Memphis soul, Nick Drake-inspired songs, stirring acoustic instrumental guitar, resonator slide, and now blues from the pre-Depression era as well as the ’60s... You never know what’s coming next. Here’s to lots more stops along the Jeff Ray recording highway." -John Ziegler (Duluth News Tribune, Duluth MN)

"Jeff Ray's fourth album is indeed a must for anyone who has a soft spot for acoustic, semi-acoustic and resonator slide-guitar in particular... His fingerpicking and bottleneck playing style have a very high degree of perfection and precision. Leo Kottke and Bob Brozman are never far away and, without hesitation, he can get a place in the list of great sliders. This album is very blues oriented but remains open to "world" influences... "Blue Mara" is a treasure that makes it irresistible to grab your guitar.... Another great artist that we should not lose sight [of]." -witteMVS (www.rootsville.be, Belgium) [English Translation by Google Translate]

"Thousands of miles may separate Indian music from the Memphis blues, but slide guitarist Jeff Ray has found a way to blend the two" -David Henke (Northfield News, Northfield MN)

"Using an 8-track reel-to-reel recorder set up in his living room, slide guitarist Jeff Ray captured just the right sound for his latest acoustic roots and blues CD." -Christina Killion Valdez (Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN)

"The clarity and precision of Ray's bottleneck playing, as it swoops and dives through his vocal lines, is so well-honed and has such an alluringly liquid quality that it puts him in a league with the best on the planet. Folks such as Ry Cooder, David Lindley and Bob Brozman have nothing on this young virtuoso. His newest record, "Last Great Winter," is a tour de force that should be required listening for anyone interested in the instrument or the style." -John Ziegler (Duluth News Tribune)

"I like this album. I really love the sound of a national guitar and Jeff knows how to get it to sing. I only wish I could play that well someday. I'll be buying his other albums in the near future." -John Cross (fan)

"Last Great Winter is an entirely new journey for Ray, but still highlights his solid musicianship. Ray continues to carry the torch for folk music into the next generation... [he] is a throwback to a previous era and a breath of fresh air for folk music in Minnesota." -Andrew Olson (Reader Weekly, Duluth MN)

"Jeff Ray is a rising musician... The various influences and mixture of sounds resembles so much, and yet becomes something very unique." -Andrew Olson(Reader Weekly, Duluth, MN)

"the sounds of blues greats such as Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters with acoustic elements of Led Zeppelin and the Allman Brothers." -Kari Knutson (Winona Daily News, Winona, MN)

"a quality that could only come by blending the birthplaces of Bob Dylan and the delta blues." -Joe Lawler (Des Moines Register, Des Moines, IA)

"Musically, the CD varies among all of Ray's influences from the rock sounds of the Allman Brothers and Led Zeppelin to the modern jam band vibe and into introspective, quiet folk." -Christina Killion Valdez (Post-Bulletin, Rochester, MN)

The Bootleg Club was set up for fans to receive a monthly newsletter by email with recent news, information on upcoming gigs, recommendations on other local musicians to check out, tips for guitarists, stupid music jokes, etc.

We are very strict about NEVER sharing your information with anyone else, and you can unsubscribe at anytime, no questions asked.

Now offering LIVE online video-chat guitar lessons!No matter where you live, if you have a hi-speed internet connection you can take guitar lessons from Jeff Ray.
All you need to do is download the FREE Skype software and it costs nothing to video-chat.
Jeff will email you lesson materials that you can print prior to your lesson.
Lessons are the same rate as in-person lessons - $23/30min, and you pay securely online through paypal.
Contact Jeff at jeff@jeffraymusic.com if you are interested.

Current students - Pay Now Using Paypal:

Jeff Ray is a blues and folk guitar instructor at the St. Paul Guitar Studio located in the lowertown area of St. Paul. The studio offers guitar lessons in a wide variety of styles including acoustic guitar, electric guitar and bass guitar. Each instructor has their own style that they specialize in and the studio is very welcoming to beginning students of all ages.

Jeff teaches a full range of acoustic guitar styles; from folk and blues, to country, singer-songwriter, rock and pop. He accepts students from Beginner to Advanced and teaches basic strumming and flatpicking techniques in addition to specialties that include blues and folk fingerstyle guitar, slide-guitar, songwriting, and alternate guitar tunings.

LOCATION:
St. Paul Guitar Studio is located in the Lowertown area of St. Paul (near the farmer's market), accessible from I-94 and I-35E. The studio is located directly above the Black Dog Cafe, on the second floor of the Northern Warehouse building at 308 Prince St., at the interstection of Broadway and Prince. Street parking is free after 4pm and there is also a parking lot directly behind the building that costs only $1 for all day parking. Most of the time street parking can be found for free after 4pm. The Black Dog Cafe is a great place to stop and get a snack or a cup of coffee before a lesson. There is also a lobby in the studio for parents to wait or for students to tune their guitars or practice while waiting for their lesson.

TEACHING STYLE:
Jeff's style of teaching involves using songs as a guide to technique and theory. Typically, student's will bring in CDs of music they are interested in and select songs that are appropriate for their level. While learning the songs, the student learns the techniques and theory necessary for becoming proficient at guitar. This method tends to keep learning more interesting and gives the student a sense of accomplishment.

COST:
Lessons are $23/lesson and each lesson is 30 min. Students take lessons either 'full-time' or 'half-time'. Full-time students take one lesson every week. Half-time students take one lesson every-other week.

"I had not played for a number of years, and started lessons with Jeff Ray at the St. Paul Guitar Studio. I was interested in starting right off with a finger picking style to get the fingers going again, in an enjoyable manner. Jeff was very open to this approach, and was quickly able to assess my skill level, and introduce pieces that have proved perfect for getting me going. He lets me advance at my pace, introducing advancing pieces and adding theory along the way. I am very satisfied with St. Paul Guitar Studio."
-John Rotilie

"Jeff has opened my world of finger-style ragtime, pre-war blues guitar. Each lesson has consisted of learning new techniques through songs, as well as learning music theory, which he has simplified through explanation. I've never had any other guitar teacher explain to me how chords are made up."
-Noel Folstad (aka Non-Blind Noelly)

"I've been taking guitar lessons for St. Paul guitar studio for about a year. It's the high point of my week ever since. In addition to learning an instrument from industry-recognized experts, the therapeutic aspect of learning an instrument is very important to me. I enjoy the experience so much that I've expanded the scope of my learning to electric guitar, resophonic guitar, and bass guitar. In short, I couldn't be happier with my experience."
-Michael L. Sparacino